GWTW draft
Introduction Gone with the Wind is a1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel of the same name. The epic, set in the American South in and around the time of the Civil War, starred Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Haviland and told the story of the Civil War from a white Southern point of view. It was awarded ten Academy Awards, a record that would stand for years, and has been named by the American Film Institute as number four among the top 100 American films of all time. It has sold more tickets than any other film in history, and today has become one of the most popular films of all time, and one of the most enduring symbols of the golden age of . Adjusting for inflation, the film is the highest grossing of all time. Central Theme ‘’Gone with the Wind’’ is a story about human accomplishment and romantic realization. The central life theme of the story is a vast, intense and powerful social evolution carried by Scarlett and Rhett during the Civil war. It depicts in a powerful manner that aspiration when combined with inner strength achieves the ultimate. The story centers around the relationships of four characters before, during and immediately after the war. Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is deeply in love with the aristocratic Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) who is powerfully attracted to Scarlett but marries his cousin Melanie (Olivia de Haviland). Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) who pursues, eventually marries Scarlett. It all happens during the pre and post war experience of the South, the evolution of into a unified social and cultural entity after the war throwing lights on the changes the war brings in the life of the people. Scarlett, who is born in a wealthy plantation family is intensely attracted towards Ashley and her love for him is the driving force for her in life which gives her the courage to face the extreme challenges brought about by the war. Ashley marries Melanie who is a reflection of goodness, gratitude, love and affection. Melanie’s love for Ashley is so intense and pure that not even Scarlett, with all her energy and strength can make a gap between them to fit her unreserved drive find expression. Rhett’s aspiration to marry Scarlett since their first meeting is accomplished. Scarlett sees Melanie’s goodness only while she is dying. It is then Scarlett is absolved from her illusion and discovers her true love of Rhett. The underlying truth of the story is that the final outcome is the result of the intensity of aspiration, attraction and commitment between the two main characters Scarlett and Rhett. During these tumultuous times, social forces are extremely powerful and strongly influence the relationship between the characters and life responds to the strength of the characters and rewards based on their aspiration and goodwill. Synopsis of Plot The story extends over a time period of twelve years in the life of narcissistic plantation belle Scarlett O'Hara, from the start of the Civil War through the Reconstruction Period, and covers her various romantic pursuits against the backdrop of an important time in the American history where the war completely sweeps away the southern plantation culture, a civilization that is gone with the wind. The history of an aspirant selfish woman who doesn't want to admit her feelings about the man she loves instead runs behind a false love and finally discovers her true love when it is too late is depicted strikingly. The central driving force for the action is Scarlett’s intense seeking for Ashley, who is attracted to her but marries his cousin Melanie who is more like him. With the social edifice crumbling due to the civil war, Scarlett exhibits in all her strength and force, a deep motivation and commitment to save Tara, her plantation home at . She exhibits such intense infatuation throughout the story towards Ashley even after he is married. Scarlett pursues her goal with absolutely no inner and outer restraints or inhibitions. She doesn’t allow herself to be disturbed or distracted a bit away from her goal either by scruples of her conscience or the prevalent social set up. Ashley is obviously attracted by Scarlett’s charms and passion for life, but backs up in the name of honor and differences between them. Rhett Butler instantly falls for Scarlett’s high energy and his instincts vitally respond to her’s. Rhett has the complete knowledge of human nature and is able to laugh at her folly of yearning to win Ashley. The war breaks in and lasts for nearly 4 years creating a massive impact on the social background forever. Ashley and a lot other men enlist and leave home to fight the Yankees. Rhett becomes a blockade runner, a more suitable profession than to join the army.He makes money out of courageous risk. The Yankees capture the South slowly costing the lives of innumerable men. Scarlett and Melanie live together till Ashley returns safely from the war. Scarlett’s strength and Melanie’s goodness protects Ashley. Rhett marries Scarlett becoming her third husband. Life joins the two together. Scarlett throws happiness with both hands pining over Ashley. Rhett is never able to get her care or love. Scarlett’s blind infatuation on Ashley becomes a barrier to her in realizing Rhett’s love for her and only makes her angry and embarrassed over Rhett. The pent up unhappiness is so strong and intense in both that their negative energies play an important role in the death of their child Bonnie. Finally Rhett leaves Scarlett when she truly gets over the spell of Ashley and expresses her love foolishly. Character Analysis 'Butler Household' 'Scarlett O'Hara' Born into a wealthy plantation family, Scarlett longs to be a "great lady" like her aristocratic and saintly mother, Ellen, but in fact takes more after her father, Gerald, a willful, self-made man of practical Irish peasant stock. Scarlett is headstrong, selfish and ruthless. Scarlett is strong and totally selfish. She is attracted to Ashley because of his aristocratic character as her father Gerald was attracted to Ellen, but like Gerald she is coarse which makes her attractive to Rhett. Scarlett symbolizes both the Old and New South, and her fate parallels that of the South during the war and Reconstruction period. Her clinging to Ashley represents the Old Southern part of her, whereas her attraction to Rhett represents the New Southern part. Specific traits Scarlett exhibits specific traits such as being sensible, committed, practical, energetic, charming, attractive, strong, fun-loving, quick witted, lively,wild, coarse, rebellious, opportunistic, unscrupulous, wilful, sometimes rude,headstrong, selfish, ruthless and sharp tongued. Energy, Strength of Personality and Aspiration Her energy and strength of personality comes from her commitment towards Ashley, her will to win material comforts, her aspiration to save and uphold . Scarlett aspires for the highest level of material accomplishment. She not only wants to get over poverty and hunger but she wants to be immensely rich and goes to any extent to accomplish on this. She is willing to change to the times to attain her will. Scarlett responds to every single opportunity and challenge she encounters. She faces them straight with no excuse although she has no values to cling to, except for her binding for . Characteristics inherited from family Scarlett takes more after her father, Gerald, a willful, self-made man of practical Irish peasant stock. She inherits his energy and aspiration. Her outward manners are what have been imposed on her by her mother and the strict discipline of Mammy. Scarlett, like her father, was driven by the experience of poverty and her vow to escape it and shared his direct approach to getting whatever he set his eyes on. She combined her mother’s beauty and her father’s energy and spark. She is attracted to Ashley because of his aristocratic character as Gerald was attracted to Ellen, but like Gerald she is coarse which makes her attractive to Rhett. Social status: education, wealth, class Scarlett is from a wealthy plantation family born to an aristocratic mother, Ellen Robillard and her Irish immigrant father, Gerald O’ Hara. The O’ Hara’s , though not aristocratic like the Wilkes, strengthened their social status with efficiently run large plantations, hundreds of well treated slaves, good manners and equality in helping even the lower class like the poor white trash Slatterys. Positive & Negative attitudes of Scarlett Plus – Strong, lacks inhibitions, fearless, aspires for material and romantic accomplishment, practical, accepts what comes, commitment towards Ashley and Tara, willing to change with time, determination, rational. Minus- Boorish, irascible, wild, out of control, mercenary, pretense, given to false love, rude, fails to see goodness in anybody, selfish, unkind, ruthless, unscrupulous, judges by what she sees on the surface and thus misses the inner strength of several of the people in her life, pines over Ashley and fails to notice that Rhett Butler is similar to her, is a perfect match for her, and loves her intensely. Values =Strength = Scarlett possesses enormous strength and is determined not to lose her family plantation, , the one constant love of her life, she triumphs over huge adversity to save it and turn it into a viable farm. During the difficult period of the war and subsequent Reconstruction, Scarlett financially supports her family and household, including the Wilkes family. Her instincts rise up against social restrictions. Her strength first manifests itself in her narcissistic and sometimes backstabbing efforts to excite the admiration of every young man in the neighborhood. Later, under threat of starvation and even death, she is determined to survive and does so by picking cotton, running her entire plantation, forging a successful business, and even killing a man. =Willingness to change with times = Scarlett symbolizes both the Old and New South, and life parallels her to that of the South during the war and Reconstruction period. Her clinging to Ashley represents the Old Southern part of her, whereas her attraction to Rhett represents the New Southern part. Both Scarlett and the South overcome terrible hardships and adapt to the changing times in order to survive. They set aside the Old Southern values of chivalry, the importance of 'good' breeding, integrity and kindness in favor of the New Southern (influenced by the North) values of entrepreneurship, ruthless opportunism and financial success. Scarlett adapts extraordinarily well because her hard, ruthless character finds a match in the nature of the times; Life designed her for this age. =Commitment = Scarlett is intensely committed to Tara and Ashley. Life respects her commitment to save . Tara stands unaffected when all other neighbourhood houses are burned by the Yankees. Likewise Life respects her commitment to Ashley. It allows Scarlett to succeed in saving Melanie through childbirth and in bringing Ashley's baby and Melanie safely back to all by herself. The power of her commitment towards Tara makes her take extreme decisions easily like offering to be Rhett’s mistress in return for ’s tax money. This extent or her readiness to do anything is promptly acknowledged. Life brings Frank Kennedy right in time though Rhett is unable to help her. She instantly decides to marry him to solve her financial criticality. 'Rhett Butler' Rhett is Scarlett's love interest and third husband, often publicly shunned for scandalous behavior, sometimes accepted for his charm. He is portrayed as the perfect man's man. He is the dark, dashing and disreputable son of a wealthy old family. Disowned by his family and expelled from for dishonorable behavior, Rhett is something of an outsider in genteel Southern society. Cynical and brutally honest, he delights in puncturing pomposity and hypocrisy by telling the truth as he sees it, caring little about what others think of him. Specific traits Rhett exhibits specific traits such as being extremely sensible, highly practical, energetic, strong, fun-loving, quick witted, lively,wild, coarse, rebellious, opportunistic, unscrupulous to social values, willful, truthful, possesses human knowledge and vast worldly knowledge, impeccable dress sense, humorous, uncompromisingly well mannered, social but scandalous, willingness to take chances, and also patriotic at some point. Rhett symbolizes the New South, the values of entrepreneurship and ruthless opportunism that the South is forced to adopt under the influence of the North in order to survive the war. Most of the time, he refuses to conform to Southern patriotic expectations and is openly contemptuous of them. Energy, Strength of Personality and Aspiration Rhett’s energy is so high and contagious throughout. He is totally nonreactive during the worst Social destruction. Even the strong headed Scarlett feels safe and strong when he is around. His strength of personality is so original and never fails him. He easily tides over the changing times of the society and is the only one to remain unaffected both during the war and the reconstruction period. Scarlett is intensely and blindly attracted toward Ashley. Her first expression of her love to Ashley is witnessed by Rhett who responds to her seeking by awakening similar attraction toward Scarlett. His attraction is more of an aspiration more intense and more genuine. He does win Scarlett. Social status: education, wealth, class Rhett is from a wealthy family. He has no aristocratic origin, he is a self made man. He acquires wealth by any means – even if it means to risk his life as a blockade runner. The Yankees are after his money, knowing this Rhett befriends them and they treat him well even in jail when no southerner is treated good by the Yankees. Positive & Negative attitudes of Rhett Plus – Strong, lacks inhibitions, fearless, wins material comforts effortlessly, aspires for romantic accomplishment ( An urge to conquer Scarlett ), practical, makes the best use of any situation, rational, willing to change with time, sensible, truthful – makes no pretense, well mannered Minus- Wild, coarse, rebellious, ruthless, unscrupulous, cynical Values ='Goodwill and affection' = Rhett exhibits goodness and integrity at several instances. Rhett shows flawless affection on Melanie and respects her for her goodness. He exhibits intense kindness toward Melanie. Never at any time has he revealed Melanie about her husband Ashley being the object of attraction to Scarlett. Rhett and Melanie share an uncommon friendship. Rhett takes real risks to save Ashley from the Shanty town attack inspite of his contempt towards Ashley. He cares nothing for Ashley. He does it just for Melanie. Life gets Rhett to save Ashley for Melanie. ='Generosity' = Rhett is generous and helping towards anybody who is in need. Scarlett visits him in the jail, making a demure pretense, to ask for the tax money. Even when Rhett sees through her and finds out her real motive, he refuses to help only because he is unable to be of any help from jail. However, he rushes to Scarlett soon as he is out of jail to ensure that she has gotten the money and to lend her if she has not. After he marries Scarlett, he agrees to spend on Tara and permits her to spend as much as she wishes to make a rich and bountiful plantation. ='Respect for women' = Rhett exhibits an extraordinary character when he respects women. This is clear is many instances throughout the story. Rhett respects Melanie above everyone. He does express this truly in his actions. He attaches so much importance to Mammy even though she is a slave. Rhett aspires to win the respect of Mammy. At his honeymoon in , Scarlett gets expensive gifts for all in the family except Mammy whereas Rhett gets Mammy a red petticoat. Belle Walting runs a brothel house and not received by anyone in . Rhett respects Belle Walting. He says she is a good soul. This becomes true when she saves Ashley and other men during the Shanty town rail. Rhett sees Scarlett as she is - unmasked. He respects her strength, courage and inner drive to win over difficulties. ='Transformation' = Earlier in the story Rhett says he is not a marrying man. Later, he truly wants to marry Scarlett. It is simply because, he wanted her and could not do so by any other means. He hopes she will get over Ashley and start loving him someday. After Bonnie is born, Rhett’s social behaviour is totally transformed. He strongly feels his child should get the love and reception from every one in the town. For her sake, he seeks to win the respect of everyone. ='Cheerfulness' = Rhett is never complaining or brooding over the past (like Ashley). Whether it is war or post war, he remains calm and composed. He is a symbol of light figure. Nothing ever mattered to him except his child Bonnie. ='Honesty' = Rhett is true to himself by all means. He sees no reason to make pretence and laughs at those who do so (like Scarlett). He is not ashamed to say that he is a frequent visitor to Belle Walting’s while all men in town consider the mere thought, a high disgrace. Scarlett and Rhett are both free from considerations of honor and duty and therefore able to think in strictly pragmatic terms about survival. The difference is that Rhett is always honest with himself and others about what is going on. ='Positiveness' = Rhett is all positive and gentlemanly. This is so great a value that Life rewards him accordingly. He is not received in his own town , Rhett doesn’t care a bit. He rises to a very high level of material accomplishment to envy of all. When the whole is burning and Yankees coming in Rhett steals a horse and carriage to come to the rescue of Scarlett, Melanie and the new born baby. He does this with absolutely no panic or negative thoughts or uncertainty about his accomplishment. This is Life’s response for his positive attitude. He saves Ashley and other men from the police by proving they were all at Belle’s. But for Rhett and his association with the Yankee officers, all men of would have been doomed. Rhett proves capable and smart again. Life attaches importance and value to him in the midst of men. 'Wilkes Household' 'Ashley Wilkes' The man Scarlett loves, Melanie's husband. Ashley is a charming gentleman. He stands in contrast to Rhett. He is honorable, cultured, aristocratic, good natured courteous and skilled in the gentlemanly pursuits of the arts, poetry, and riding. After the war, unlike Rhett and Scarlett, he fails to adapt to the changing times and his weaknesses become more obvious. He dreams of the old days, when life had a beauty and grace that has been swept away by the war. Most of the time, his nature is self-pitying. He is a weak person not willing to change with times. In short an irresponsible dreamer. Scarlett and Melanie share the same intense devotion to Ashley. It is that which brings and keeps them together throughout the war. Ashley returns safe from war. He is protected doubly both by the goodness of Melanie and the strength of Scarlett. Ashley is a weak person by mind has no energy to survive. He clings to Scarlett and submits to her intentions when she asks him to take over the mill and work for her when he could have strongly refused and made a life on his own. Ashley is the object of Scarlett’s love and most of Scarlett’s decisions are biased and based on this false love. He is a constant temptation to Scarlett and he lets this go on till the death of his wife Melanie. Ashley represents an unformed weak character. He is unable to be strong and willfull from within like Rhett. Scarlett and Ashley have little in common, indeed, the qualities she thinks she admires in him are the ones that make her feel contempt for Melanie. Ashley represents the Old South and those Southerners who yearn for the days before the war. He is unwilling or unable to change with the times and thus is one of those who are "winnowed out" by the war. 'Melanie Hamilton Wilkes' Ashley's wife and second cousin, Scarlett's sister-in-law, a true lady. Called "mealy-mouth" by Scarlett, but she quietly has a backbone of steel. Melanie is full of goodness. She cannot recognize evil in anybody. She is pure, forgiving, sweet-tempered, loving, cheerful and extremely good natured. Melanie is frail and weak on the outer, but has high inner strength and tides through the worst days. She is a genuine and complete personality except for the fact she cannot see bad in anybody but the Yankees. She is a content person and is never complaining. She aspires to lead a happy life with Ashley. Her childhood is in where she and her brother Charles (Scarlett’s first husband) are brought up by their unmarried Aunt Pittypat, a very soft natured person with no knowledge of the life and men outside her home. Charles and Melanie exhibit similar qualities of their aunt in being meek, soft and unworldly. Her strength is her unshakeable devoted love she has on Ashley. When is burning and all people fleeing, she delivers a baby. Life provides her with assistance and timely help from the most strong characters Scarlett (she delivers the baby all by herself and takes Melanie and the baby safely back to Tara) and Rhett (he manages to steal a horse and a carriage and drives the ladies and the baby safely till the road to ). She is all the time affectionate, cheerful and positive which Scarlett fails to see. Life always brings them both together in times of great trouble. Life sanctions Melanie, Scarlett’s strength and boldness. In the same way, Life safeguards Scarlett with Melanie’s goodness. They both need each other. She is frail to withstand the post war period. Life doesn't get her to live happily with Ashley and her beau after the war ends. 'India Wilkes' Ashley's sister. Almost engaged to Stuart Tarleton, she bitterly hates Scarlett for stealing his attention before he is killed at . She witnesses Scarlett and Ashley embracing at the lumber yard and gossips about the incident. This causes a split within the Wilkes family, dividing Ashley from and Aunt Pittypat from Melanie, and in the wider society. 'John Wilkes' Owner of Twelve Oaks Plantation and patriarch of the Wilkes family. He enlists in the army and dies a brave soldier. Scarlett adores him and sees Ashley in him. She awes the grandeur of Twelve Oaks and wishes to be its mistress and the daughter in law of John Wilkes. 'O'Hara Household' 'Mammy' Mammy is Scarlett's nurse from birth; a devoted slave. Cited by Rhett as "the real head of the household." Mammy constantly reminds us of the then prevalent customs and culture. She is one force whom Scarlett cannot afford to fool around. Mammy senses every motive of Scarlett. She stands by Scarlett as she stood by her mother Ellen. Mammy adds to the positive force of Melanie and Rhett in providing that untold strength to Scarlett. Earlier in the story Mammy despises Rhett but Life makes her see goodness in Rhett after Bonnie is born. Mammy depicts the conventions of the era. The South treats the slaves well and Mammy is given so importance in the O’Hara family as well as in the family. She decides to go with Scarlett to protect her and guard her when Scarlett leaves to to arrange for tax money. She stays with Scarlett in all her marriages and tries to protect her from wrong doings. Life continuously backs Scarlett with such good forces. 'Gerald O'Hara' Gerald is Scarlett's father and the patriarch of the plantation of . He immigrated to from after killing an English government agent. He won in a card game and built it up into a successful cotton plantation. Gerald is shrewd, charming and kind-hearted, but he is also headstrong, selfish and refuses to listen to the voices of caution - qualities that Scarlett inherits from him. He is devoted to his wife, Ellen, and never recovers after her death during the war, descending into a state of senility. Gerald’s grief and madness are not just the result of Ellen’s death. They are the result of the death of the world and the dream in which he lived, the dream of fulfillment he achieved in his life and then saw vanish with the defeat of the Confederacy, the dream of being a slave-based plantation owner in a world of aristocratic prestige and privilege. He is thrown to his death while jumping his horse over a fence with the cry, "Watch me take this one! Later Bonnie, the granddaughter he never saw, who was like him in every way dies the same way speaking the same words. Gerald's sudden death and Jonas Wilkerson the former overseer, coming to ask for Tara are simultaneous events. For Gerald, losing Tara means losing his Life. His physical attachment to the land leads to his death. The jump is also a predecessor of the jump that will kill Bonnie. 'Ellen O'Hara' Scarlett's beloved mother, of aristocratic French ancestry, a true southern lady. She proves to be a highly competent manager at Tara and effortlessly commands the respect and obedience of all the employees and slaves. Dignified, refined, and compassionate, Ellen represents an impossibly high standard for Scarlett to live up to. While Scarlett longs to be "a great lady" like Ellen, she finds herself going against her mother's teachings in the face of the harsh reality of war. Scarlett never resolves this conflict between what she believes Ellen would do and what she herself wants to do. Ellen always helps the Slatterys in their hour of need. She rushes to nurse Emmie while childbirth and baptises her dead baby. Later when Ellen helps the Slatterys to get over typhoid, contracts the disease from them and dies of it. According to The recipient of help never fails to hurt and Trouble comes to one ONLY from those he has helped, apart from his own folly, Ellen sees death from those whom she has always helped. She dies helping those of low consciousness below her. She had strength to do so during normal times but not when the whole social edifice was crumbling. Ellen is fully identified with the Old South that died during the Civil War. All her values and upbringing were with the old which is crumbling. She no longer has any place. The war destroyed her social role. It liberated the slaves and left her nothing to act upon. Suellen O'Hara Scarlett's younger sister, whiny and lazy. She is courted by Frank Kennedy before Scarlett steals him from her. Carreen O'Hara Scarlett's youngest sister, gentle and kind. Pork first and loyal slave of Gerald O'Hara. Prissy slave daughter of Dilcey, silly and foolish. Big Sam Overseer and slave; rescues Scarlett in Shantytown. Other Characters Charles Hamilton Melanie's brother, Scarlett's first husband, shy and loving. Frank Kennedy Suellen's former beau, Scarlett's second husband, and older man who only wants peace and quiet.. Belle Watling wealthy madame; Rhett is her friend and loyal customer. Jonas Wilkerson former overseer of Tara, father of Emmie Slattery's illegitimate baby. Emmie Slattery later wife of Jonas Wilkerson, ".................." Aunt Pittypat Charles’ and Melanie’s vaporish aunt who lives in .